This invention relates to containers in general, and specifically to apparatus and method for improved pouring of fluid from a container. A tearstrip opening is provided substantially at the intersection of two surfaces of a container assembly, such as near a corner formed at or near the edge of a container lid. Among other things, that tearstrip opening is useful for pouring materials from the container, or venting air into the container as the contents are poured out another opening. The invention permits a more complete amount of the fluid to be poured from the container, and provides beneficial control over the flowrate and/or direction of pouring, as compared to prior art pouring mechanisms.
Containers lids, especially those formed of plastic or similar materials, having xe2x80x9ctearablexe2x80x9d openings to permit removal of the container contents are well known. For example, although not necessarily relevant to the instant invention, coffee cup lids (such as provided by fast food restaurants) are commonly molded from thin plastic or similar material, and have one or more tearlines or areas formed therein to permit xe2x80x9ctearingxe2x80x9d an opening in the lid, whereby the coffee can be sipped through the opening while still keeping the coffee warm and while helping to reduce the risk of spilling.
Similar tearlines and related features also have been utilized on larger, more sturdy containers similar to the preferred embodiment of the invention, such as lids for conventional five-gallon injection-molded containers or the like. However, prior art container lids such as those shown in FIGS. 1-3 typically place such openings at least some distance from the edge of the lid. Consequently, during pouring some amount of fluid (illustrated as fluid 1 in FIG. 3) is xe2x80x9ctrappedxe2x80x9d inside such prior art containers, in the space between the opening and the nearest edge of the container. In addition to the economic consequences of using less than all of the contents of the container, the inability to achieve substantially complete removal of the contents may create environmental problems, particularly in applications where the container contents are hazardous materials.
Some such lids (such as the coffee cup lids discussed above) have xe2x80x9ctearablexe2x80x9d openings whereby a flap is torn from the very outer edge of the lid toward the center. While this arrangement typically permits fairly complete drainage of the coffee from the cup (in that it exposes the lip of the cup), it destroys the continuity of the hoop flange formed at the outer edge of the lid and is therefore not necessarily useful for more rugged applications (such as for shipping containers and lids). Among other things, that hoop flange can provide a gripping hoop force that helps retain the lid on the container, and destruction or reduction of that hoop force can make it more likely that the lid will become inadvertently dislodged from the container or cup.
In addition, even if such an approach were taken for more rugged containers (such as the aforementioned conventional injection-molded five-gallon pails), tearing the hoop flange can expose a sealing gasket (if one is used) and similar complex structure between the lid and the container. Therefore, besides weakening the hoop force holding the lid in engagement with the container, some of the fluid can be caught in and around the exposed gasket and related engagement structure, causing a wasteful, messy, and even dangerous condition.
Openings for pouring fluid from prior art containers can be fairly complex. For example, they may include flexible xe2x80x9cpull-outxe2x80x9d spouts such as spout 2 (FIGS. 1 and 3). To use such a prior art pull-out spout 2, a user grips the bendable outer ribs 3 of a cap 4 threadedly engaged with the spout 2, pulls the ribs 4 (and correspondingly pulls the attached cap 3 and spout 2) until the spout extends from the container (such extension is shown in FIG. 3), and then unscrews and removes the cap 4 to open the spout for pouring (again, FIG. 3 illustrates the spout 2 with the cap 4 removed). The steps can be reversed to reseal the container. While such spouts provide some benefits over the prior art xe2x80x9cno-spoutxe2x80x9d lids described in the following paragraph, they still do not allow relatively more complete drainage of the container.
Other prior art openings include tearable portions having gripping tabs to initiate the tearing. For example, FIG. 2 shows a screw-on cap 5 over a central tear-out portion (the tear-out portions is not shown because it is under the cap 5). The user removes the cap 5, tears the tear-out portion, and can then reseal the container by screwing the cap 5 back on.
In addition to not draining completely, such prior art container assemblies can also present several limitations with respect to a user""s control over pouring. Container lids such as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example, will frequently xe2x80x9cgulpxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cspitxe2x80x9d contents out of their openings, particularly when the containers are initially full and there is no clear path for air to enter the container and replace the fluid as it is poured out (some containers include additional vent structures and openings that increase the cost and complexity of the container and do not completely solve the xe2x80x9cgulpingxe2x80x9d problem, at least for initial pouring from full containers). This can lead to uneven and at least somewhat haphazard or imprecise pouring and spillage, which in turn result in economic loss, as well as environmental and health hazards in some applications. It can be especially difficult to obtain a small quantity of the fluid without wasting or spilling fluid, during xe2x80x9cearly poursxe2x80x9d from such containers.
In addition, to be stackable (and especially to allow stacking of filled container and lid assemblies atop each other), prior art containers lids typically have any spout/fitment/drain openings xe2x80x9cburiedxe2x80x9d so that they are generally flush with the upper surface of the lid (e.g., the pull-out spout 2 of FIGS. 1 and 3, as discussed above). This flush arrangement ensures that the spout 2 (in its retracted position) does not prevent or interfere with the stacking of another container on top of the lid. In effect, the prior art drain openings are relatively complicated structures because, at least in part, they must be retracted into the container to permit the desired stacking.
It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a container assembly with improved pouring features. The container of my invention is characterized by providing one or more tearstrip openings at or near the intersection of two surfaces of a container assembly, such as at the corner formed at the peripheral rim portion of a lid. In lid embodiments, the tearstrip opening is preferably substantially contiguous with the inner sidewall of a cooperating container. The tearstrip also preferably includes a tab member to facilitate gripping and tearing of the tearstrip.
Another object of my invention is to provide a stackable shipping container assembly with improved pouring features.
Another object of my invention is the provision of a container lid of the aforementioned character, in which at least one of the tearstrips is removable from the lid. Alternative embodiments include hinging the tearstrip to the lid (hinging is one of the ways the tearstrip would not be xe2x80x9cremovablexe2x80x9d). Certain embodiments can include protective shrouds to prevent inadvertent dislodgment or tearing of the tearstrip, and resealing members such as screw-on caps.
A further object of my invention is thus to provide ecological and economic advantages over prior art containers and container and lid assemblies. Among other things, the benefits of reliably sealed transportation and handling of fluid are provided with lessxe2x80x94or even zeroxe2x80x94waste fluid unused and needing to be disposed, and the contents of the container (for which the user has paid) are more completely usable. As compared to the prior art spout devices, the costs of manufacturing the container are also reduced, and the costs and difficulties of assembly associated with such spouts present can also be eliminated.
Still another object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of such tearstrip openings of the aforementioned character on a single container assembly or lid. The openings can be of varied sizes and shapes, even on a single lid, or can all be similarly sized and shaped. One useful arrangement is a relatively large opening on one side of the lid (for pouring out the liquid) and a relatively small opening on the opposite side (to allow the container to xe2x80x9cbreathexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cventxe2x80x9d during pouring, thus avoiding the xe2x80x9cgulpingxe2x80x9d action that can otherwise occur when you pour liquid from a closed container). This venting arrangement can facilitate more precise control of the pouring of liquid (and even some granular solids) from the container, especially when the container is initially full. For different materials, or for different flow rates or applications, the fluid could be poured from the relatively smaller opening (and the relatively larger opening could be used as a vent).
A further object of my invention is the provision of a container lid of the aforementioned character, in which at least one of the tearstrips is configured to remain attached to the rim portion following tearing. In such embodiments, the rim portion also preferably includes a cooperating tearstrip retaining means to temporarily hold the tearstrip in a selected xe2x80x9copenxe2x80x9d position following tearing.
Another object of my invention is the provision of a container lid of the aforementioned character, in which the rim portion includes a shroud element configured to protect at least one of the tearstrips from inadvertent dislodgment.
Yet another object of my invention is the provision of a container lid of the aforementioned character, in which the rim portion includes a resealing member configured to permit closing at least one of the openings following removal of the tearstrip.
A further object of my invention is the provision of a container assembly for transporting fluid in an initially leak-proof condition, the assembly having first and second surfaces which intersect to form a corner and including a tearstrip that is removable to create a drain hole substantially aligned with one of the surfaces without significantly affecting the hoop strength of the container assembly at that location. Such an arrangement provides the aforementioned benefits of more complete drainage of the contents of the container. The corner can be relatively square or rounded, and the tearstrip opening can be on the top, bottom, or side of the container.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a lid having a hoop flange depending downwardly from an outer edge thereof, in which the lid includes a tearstrip member positioned adjacent the flange to permit pouring out substantially all the contents of a container to which the lid is affixed. The pouring occurs through an opening formed by tearing the tearstrip, and the tearstrip is positioned so that the hoop aspect of the hoop flange remains intact upon tearing of the tearstrip.
An additional object of the invention is the provision of a method of pouring fluid from a container, including the steps of providing a container assembly with drainable contents therein; providing at least one tearstrip opening on the container so that tearing of the tearstrip does not tear any outer edge of the container, the opening being positioned to enable substantially all of the contents of the container to be poured therethrough upon tearing of the tearstrip; tearing the tearstrip; and pouring the contents from the container. The method can include providing a lid as part of the container assembly, with the at least one tearstrip being located on the lid.
In addition, the method can include the step of separating the tearstrips from the container assembly, and can include the step of tearing at least two substantially oppositely positioned tearstrips on the container assembly.
Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a container lid, including a central portion configured to be disposed over an opening of a cooperating container and a rim portion at the periphery of the central portion. One or more removable portions are provided on the rim portion in a position so that removal of the removable portions provides an opening through the lid into a cooperating container and the opening is adjacent to a sidewall of the container. Protective shield members may be provided adjacent the removable portions, as well as resealing means for covering the opening after removal of the removable portions.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved lid and container combination. The container has an opening thereon defined by a substantially vertical lip portion, and the lid is configured to cover the opening, with engagement means for maintaining desired engagement between the lid and the container. The lid includes a rim portion configured in a substantially upside-down U-shaped cross-section, the U-shape dimensioned and configured to substantially straddle the lip portion of the container. One or more removable sections of the rim portion are positioned adjacent the lip portion of the container and provide a passageway into the container upon removal of the one or more removable sections. A secondary vent opening may be provided, spaced from at least one of the removable sections, and may be constituted by a second removable section.
Yet another object of my invention is the provision of an improved container assembly of the aforementioned character, in which the assembly components are configured to permit nesting with other like components of the same size.
The invention also provides desirable tamper-evidencing as to the contents of the container.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings, which are for the purpose of illustration only.